Policies and Guidance

On this page you'll find UCL's policies and guidance, as well as support networks for staff and students.

Find links to all UCL's policies and guidance, as well as support networks for staff and students.

UCL's policy towards bullying and harassment

Athena SWAN at UCL
Equity and Inclusion Plan 2020-21
Leading female role models
Parental leave and other entitlements
Pregnant students

LGBTQ+ equality

Race equality

Religion and belief equality

Human resources

Bartlett EDI Travel Fund

A Bartlett EDI Travel Fund has been created to cover EDI-related expenses associated with work related activities undertaken outside of a member of staff’s standard working pattern/working hours. The fund is designed to address additional expenses (beyond standard items such as flights, accommodation, and conference fees), such as care cover for those with caring responsibilities and BSL translation services, which are a barrier to underrepresented staff and PhD students attending out-of-work activities and events.

Financial support for staff with EDI needs (including, however not limited to, parenting and other caring responsibilities, disability related needs such as BSL interpreters or travel support for neurodivergent staff etc.) is essential to develop a healthy and effective culture where we all belong. UCL has identified a college-wide need to improve the consistency of support experienced by staff and students with EDI needs.

In response to this a Bartlett EDI Travel Fund will be offer in 2024/2025 as part of The Bartlett EDI strategic plan, to enable staff (interpreted broadly as academics, researchers, Lecturers (Teaching)/Associate Professors (Teaching), professional services, and technical staff), as well as PhD students with specific EDI needs, to attend meetings, conferences, workshops and similar events outside their standard working pattern. The faculty has allocated £3k per annum to facilitate this. Applicants can request up to £500 per person per year.

The Bartlett EDI Travel Fund will be evaluated when funds are exhausted and may be modified for subsequent years.

Applicants with access to grant funding where EDI expenses are allowed must utilise those funds first, as per the UCL Expenses policy.

Eligibility

The Bartlett EDI Travel Fund is open to members of staff (academics, research assistants, lecturers, associate professors, professional services, and technical staff) and PhD students within the Bartlett Faculty.

The applicant must be travelling to a work-related event (meeting, conference, workshop etc) outside of their standard working pattern/working hours.

The applicant must have EDI related needs which require funding e.g. parenting / other caring responsibilities, disability support needs such as BSL interpreters or travel support for neurodivergent staff etc. (Flights, accommodation, and conference fees for the participant are not covered by this scheme).

Procedure

The applicant must seek the approval of their Line Manager to attend the event (send email confirmation to s.rolph@ucl.ac.uk) and then complete the Bartlett EDI Travel Fund application form at least three weeks ahead the event.

2. A faculty-level panel will process applications on a “first-come-first-served” basis providing that what is requested is deemed reasonable and within EDI eligibility, until the fund is exhausted within a given financial year.

3. Applications will be checked against eligibility criteria.

4. Successful applicants will be notified via email and given an account code to which authorised expenditure should be charged.

5. After the expenditure has been incurred, applicants must submit an expense claim form via iExpenses including receipts. (As per the standard UCL procedure: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/node/231).

6. Applicants successfully allocated funding should submit a brief report (250 words) on its impact within a month of the completed activity to the EDI Manager, to support the Faculty’s EDI submissions including Athena Swan.

Conditions

For the purposes of this fund, any EDI-related needs will be considered. These include (but are not limited to) BSL interpreters not covered by Access to work, childcare, support to care for an elderly relative, extra accommodation for neurodivergent staff who might need support to travel, etc.

2. Claims of up to £500 will be considered per person, per year. In exceptional circumstances there will be scope for higher awards to be made, at the discretion of the panel. If in doubt a request should be submitted for the higher amount.

3. A brief report of 250 words maximum should be submitted by the recipient to the EDI Manager within a month of the work activity, stating how support from the fund has benefited the recipient.

4. There must be an auditable record of attendance for the activity, such as conference attendance confirmation as well as receipts for EDI costs incurred. These must be submitted as part of the iExpenses claim. Applicants are encouraged to submit their claims with receipts as soon as possible once expenditure has been incurred.

5. Grants will be allocated on a “first-come-first-served” basis until the fund is exhausted in a given financial year.

6. The allocation of awards will be decided by a small faculty panel chaired by the Bartlett Vice-Dean (EDI). Priority will be given to applicants without alternative access to funds.

7. In the event of cancellation or non-attendance applicants should notify the Faculty Office ASAP, via the EDI Manager so that the funds can be redistributed.

8. The Fund and its conditions will be reviewed once the funds have been exhausted and may be modified or withdrawn in subsequent years.